If you think MRI tests are expensive, try buying a magnetic resonance imaging machine. Some health care providers invest millions in technology to help diagnose patients.The Allen County Council on Thursday approved a tax break for a $3.8 million Parkview Health Systems project that is under way.
The council unanimously approved the seven-year abatement on real estate improvements for expansion of Parkview Health Systems’ building at 11136 Parkview Circle.
The building will be leased to the company Ortho NorthEast, which also goes by ONE.
Tax abatement is a tool used by local government to entice new businesses or retain existing jobs and exempts all or a portion of a company’s increased assessed value on new investment from property taxes.
Ortho NorthEast will retain its current staff of 86 with annual salaries of $6.7 million, according to Nicole Liter, an Allen County economic development specialist. It plans to add 18 new employees, including physicians, physician assistants, nurses and medical secretaries, for an additional $1.1 million in salaries.
The company should realize an approximate tax savings of about $442,000, Liter said. Parkview has agreed to contribute 5 percent of the tax savings back to the county for future economic development projects.
The new facility is expected to be completed in May 2013.
In other business, the council approved a $39,500 salary and benefit package for a new commercial inspector for the county’s building department.
Building Commissioner David Fuller said the department has found itself understaffed since the number of commercial permits has more than doubled in the past three years and January’s numbers have indicated that trend will continue.
For more on this story, see Friday’s print edition of The Journal Gazette or return to www.journalgazette.net after 3 a.m. Friday.
vsade@jg.net
